Sharon Casts His Lot With Bush

It doesn't take a cynic to realize that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, after considering his options, has decided to sign on with President Bush's reelection campaign. Otherwise, a Democrat might get elected who would demand that Israelis dismantle all their illegal West Bank settlements, regardless of any peace plan links between military occupation and Palestinian political violence. An even-handed U.S. president is Sharon's worst nightmare.

Arthur D. Wahl

Oxnard

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Re the "road map" for Middle East peace: Two simple questions occur to me. If Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas is unwilling or unable to crack down on Palestinian terrorist groups now, why would he be willing or able to do it after Israeli concessions? And if Abbas is unable or unwilling to deliver his part of a "land for peace" pact, why is he worth dealing with?

The road map appears to be an attempt to get the Palestinians to comply with what they agreed to do under the Oslo accords. Unfortunately, the problems on the ground remain the same.

Robert Miller

La Crescenta

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The road map to peace in the Middle East, leading to a Palestinian state, may be a gift to Prime Minister Sharon. He just has another delaying opportunity to allow Israel to become more entrenched in the West Bank and Gaza. More settlements are being built, even as Sharon speaks of wanting concessions before negotiations begin. Sharon wants the land.

The road map will likely die, at a time of Sharon's choosing, by his simply singling out any future suicide bombing as a "terrorist" act. With the Palestinians now bombed and bulldozed into submission, it is time to force Israel to comply. This is not likely to happen with a pro-Sharon U.S. administration expecting to act as the only monitor of the plan.

With Israel being the strongest military power in the region, along with having nuclear "weapons of mass destruction," the only thing lacking is U.S. leadership.